Free Republic of the Congo

The Free Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo-Stanleyville, was a Central African country that existed from 1960 to 1962. The country, with its capital at Stanleyville (now Kisangani), seceded from Congo-Leopoldville in September 1960 after Joseph-Desire Mobutu deposed Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba in a coup; Lumumba's supporters, led by Antoine Gizenga, created their own rival government in Stanleyville. By February 1961, Gizenga and his men had taken over large portions of eastern Congo, and the government agreed to make peace with Congo-Leopoldville in August 1961 in exchange for Gizenga returning to his post; Gizenga still distanced himself from the central government, and it was not until Gizenga was arrested in January 1962 that the Free Republic was finally subdued.